The Minister of Natural Resources, Mr Mohlomi Moleko, delivered his keynote address at the SADC 11th Multi-Stakeholder water dialogue .The dialogue’s theme was “Water Security, Innovation, and Nexus Action: Watering and Enabling Regional Economic Development Corridors for Transformation in SADC.”
It emphasized water’s strategic role in driving economic growth, industrialization, and regional integration, particularly within the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus approach.
The dialogue built on the outcomes of the 44th SADC Summit and aligns with key regional and continental frameworks like SADC Vision 2050, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2020-2030), the SADC Regional Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Minister Moleko said water is highlighted as indispensable for every aspect of the regional value chain, including agriculture, energy, trade, and industrial processing, emphasizing its role as a catalyst for economic development.
The dialogue provided a platform to align institutions, policies, and strategies within the water sector for effective corridor development, explore innovative and climate-resilient infrastructure solutions, and strengthen cross-sectoral partnerships, and advance policy reforms and investment recommendations for a secure shared future.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Southern Africa Power Pool, Maloti Drakensburg Trans-frontier Project and the Lesotho Botswana Water Transfer Project were cited as examples of successful transboundary and regional cooperation in managing shared resources for mutual benefit.
Source: Department of Information, PR Unit, 03/10/2025
